Scratching and biting when cuddling

[CassandraN]

I'm having a scratchy problem with my new rescue cat. He's super affectionate which is lovely but as soon as he gets on my lap his claws are out. He sits up on me and rubs his head in my face whilst kneading my chest, leaving my neck and chest covered in painful scratches. Once he settles on my lap he continues to knead my stomach/arms/legs.

Staying still doesn't achieve anything, neither does saying a firm "No".
If I try to move my hands away he gets very excited as if it's play time and claws and bites and there's no chance I could pick him up and move him to the floor. I've tried giving him a treat when he is calm but that gets him all excited again! We've tried lots of toys too but it only winds him up more

I love him to bits and I imagine some of this is the stress of a new home, I just want to calm him down a bit and stop the scratching. My hands look horrendous and are getting very painful. I'm hoping I'll be able to clip his claws soon as I'm slowly getting him used to me touching his paws.

He clearly wants affection and I'd love to give it! He follows me everywhere and would happily never leave my lap, he's such a sweet boy.

[MarySkater]

I don't like to discourage my cats from kneading on me, since it's a sign of contentment. But when it's likely to happen, I cover my lap with a folded blanket before letting the cat sit on me, to cushion me from the claws.

The playful clawing is more of a problem. My kitten does it sometimes, but I can usually calm her down. I hiss at her if she bites, and make my hand into a fist which is too big for her to get her mouth round. Sometimes she gets the message and licks me instead, which of course I praise and reward. It sounds like your cat is more excitable, and you need to devise a "get down" signal. My older cat knows that if I click my tongue and tap his back a few times, he is to get off, or else I'll lift him down. But you need some way to shield yourself.

I've sometimes used spraying with water to check unwanted behaviour (eg one cat trying to take the other's food, when they each have their own place to eat). But I don't know if using a spray bottle on your boy would help, or if it would just make him more excited. Maybe if you use a folded blanket as your body-protector, you could just gather up cat plus blanket to lift him down on to the floor.

Trimming claws is useful. I only do two or three claws at a time, and never take off much, just the needle-point. But the cat does need to be very relaxed, or else they just start playing with the clipper, and you can't see what you're doing.

Congratulations on getting a rescue cat, and I hope he settles down soon. At least being over-affectionate is not so bad as if he was timid and spent all his time hiding behind the sofa.

Mary

[OHWS]

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[CassandraN]

Thanks for the replies! I like the idea of lifting him off my lap blanket-and-all, would be a lot easier!

We just had a good play with a fishing-pole toy, I'm exhausted but he's not! Although when he jumped on me and tried to bite my arm I gently pushed him aside and he sat down. Although now he is going to war with the blanket and chasing his tail like a hurricane, bless him! <3

[Grace56]

That sounds exactly like my rescue cat Dave, Cassandra. He has always been very affectionate and loving, but like you, my chest and shoulders were covered in scratches in the early days.
He would tuck his head under my chin with his paws around my shoulders. So lovely but often turned quite painful.
I used to put a folded up blanket on my lap and always wore a thick jumper.

He still attacks my hand and gives it a good gnawing...lol, but when he gets too rough I hiss and ignore him.

I wonder if it's because they are rescue cats and have probably never known much affection. Bless 'em.

[Lilith]

Hi,Cassandra, wow, you've got a problem! I too have met cats like this, and it takes a while, but they do calm down eventually. I definitely agree with the withdrawal of attention, hissing etc, or a firm 'no' in a low voice; if he comes back to love or starts turning on the charm straight away I'd tell him what a good boy he is, and even if he doesn't and just goes off to sit nearby, let a little while elapse and if he's behaving himself, I'd still tell him what a good boy he is. This is what's worked for me, at any rate.

Since you don't know his background, I wonder if he's been roughnecked with by a past owner and simply doesn't know how to inhibit his bites and scratches when cuddling or playing. You'd be amazed at how daft some owners can be. I once got told by someone that she put on a pair of gloves to 'wrestle' with a cat; another time I got a new kitten and a neighbour, who knew the owner of the mother cat, stopped to tell me about how this woman, who was a childminder, had let the toddlers pull the kittens out of the nest and play with them - at 3 days old! She seemed to think this was funny. I didn't.

Good luck with the poor old chap

[Crewella]

I've discovered that our most recent addition, ex-stray Paddy, likes to 'roughneck' when he gets playful and if on his back will grab your hand and attack it with teeth and claws given half a chance! If he starts I immediately withdraw and ignore him, and if I can't get my hand back I say 'no' firmly and still turn away the rest of my body to show I have 'removed' my attention and keep as still as possible. Nine times out of ten that will make him stop enough for me to snatch my hand back, thankfully.

I've had to clip his claws, as not only does he like to sit on you and knead, especially his dad (he's definitely daddy's boy), but being an oldie he can't jump up onto your lap, so tends to try and put his front paws on your lap and then dig in and try to haul his bodyweight up to join them Ouch!!

We've now taught him that if he wants up, he just needs to put his front paws up and wait for us to scoop up his back end and heave him on.

[CassandraN]

He would tuck his head under my chin with his paws around my shoulders. So lovely but often turned quite painful.

Costi does this too! It's so sweet but I'm going to have to wear polo necks soon!

Since you don't know his background, I wonder if he's been roughnecked with by a past owner and simply doesn't know how to inhibit his bites and scratches when cuddling or playing.

I wondered if this was the case, I hope with patience we can 'retrain' him a bit as I want to return all the affection he gives!

I've discovered that our most recent addition, ex-stray Paddy, likes to 'roughneck' when he gets playful and if on his back will grab your hand and attack it with teeth and claws given half a chance! If he starts I immediately withdraw and ignore him, and if I can't get my hand back I say 'no' firmly and still turn away the rest of my body to show I have 'removed' my attention and keep as still as possible.

How long do you usually keep still? I'm trying this technique but seeing as he carries on clawing/chewing for quite a while it's very difficult!

[Crewella]

I've never had to keep still for long, as it seems it's the 'resistance' that he enjoys. I have found that turning my face and upper body away as well as keeping still works better, and quicker, with Paddy.

[CassandraN]

Unfortunately the keeping still doesn't seem to deter him! I have started moving him (throw blanket and all) onto the seat next to me until he calms down and that seems to be working a bit.

He's been an angel today! I wish I could work out what triggers the scratching but ultimately it doesn't matter. We love him and he seems to love us <3